Costa Rican President Laura Fernandez has signalled openness to hosting US military operations on national soil, saying such a presence could benefit the country's security if aimed at transnational crime, drug trafficking, or terrorism. She stressed that any such arrangement would require approval from the country's legislature and that no concrete plans are currently under discussion. The remarks come amid rising domestic concern over crime — Costa Rica's homicide rate has doubled over the past decade — and growing pressure from Washington, which has been pushing Latin American governments to adopt a military-led approach to combating drug cartels under its "Shield of the Americas" initiative.